Semiconductor integrated circuit having oxide regions with different thickness

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device having a peripheral circuit portion, the operating voltage of which is relatively high and a memory array portion, the operating voltage of which is relatively low comprises the steps of forming an inversion preventing layer on the peripheral circuit portion, forming an oxide layer for isolation between devices adjacent thereto, forming on the memory array portion the inversion preventing layer, the impurity concentration of which is higher than that of the peripheral circuit portion and forming the oxide layer on the peripheral circuit portion at the same time that the oxide layer for isolation between devices is formed adjacent thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an integrated circuit andmore particularly, to isolation between devices thereon.

2. Description of the Prior Art

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a chip of a dynamic type semiconductormemory device as one example of a LSI.

Referring to FIG. 1, the chip comprises a memory array portion 21 and aperipheral circuit portion 22 such as sense amplifiers, decoders and thelike.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a whole structure of a dynamic typesemiconductor memory device.

Referring to FIG. 2, the dynamic type semiconductor memory devicecomprises an array comprising a plurality of memory cells serving as amemory portion, a X decoder and a Y decoder for selecting each addressthereof, and an input/output interface portion comprising a senseamplifier connected to an input/output buffer. A plurality of memorycells serving as a memory portion are each connected to intersectionpoints of word lines connected to the X decoder and bit lines connectedto the Y decoder, these word and bit lines constituting a matrix. Theabove-mentioned array is thus implemented.

Next, an operation is described. The memory cell at an intersectionpoint of the word line and the bit line is selected, when each of theselines is selected by the X decoder and the Y decoder in response to arow address signal and a column address signal externally provided, andinformation is read or written from or to the memory cell through theinput/output interface portion comprising the sense amplifier and theinput/output buffer.

Although discussion herein directs to the dynamic random access memory,the principles to be described hereinafter is applicable to other IC'sobtaining different types of circuit regions as well.

In isolating between devices of the LSI such as the conventional dynamictype semiconductor memory device, a so-called LOCOS (Local Oxidation ofSilicon: J. A. Appels et al Philips Res Rept 25 118 (1970)) structure isused.

The LOCOS isolation method has been used extensively since 1970's as thedevice isolation technology for semiconductor integrated circuitdevices. However, the following difficulties have been raised as deviceshave become fine and a dimension thereof has been decreased toapproximately 1 μm.

FIG. 3A is a partial plan view showing a designed isolation region 500and a designed active region Ri on a silicon substrate. FIGS. 3B and 3Care partial sectional views showing a device isolation technique by aselective oxidation method, taken along the line IIIB--IIIB in FIG. 3A.

(a) As shown in FIG. 3B, the field oxide film 501 makes encroachmentunder the silicon nitride film 3 (called bird's beaks) and a finishedisolation width Wia is enlarged on both sides by Wb as compared with adesigned isolation width Wid and, as a result, a portion of an activeregion that can be formed is reduced and it becomes difficult to form afine device. Referring to FIG. 3A, the active region is reduced from adesigned active region Ri to an actual active region Ra.

(b) As shown in FIG. 3C, because of a thermal treatment for the growthof the thick field oxide film 501, a p type impurity diffused region ofthe channel stopper region 4 is enlarged and a junction capacitancethereof with n type impurity diffused regions 23a and 23b is increased.In addition, in a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor, a narrowchannel effect in which a threshold voltage rises according to decreaseof a channel width becomes noticeable.

(c) As shown in FIG. 3C, because the thick field oxide film 501 having adifference in level is formed in a region for isolation between devices,the surface of the isolation region becomes non-planar. This isinconvenient for formation of a fine pattern such as a wiring.

(d) Stress occurs between the thick field oxide film 501 and the siliconsubstrate 1 because of a thermal treatment for the growth of the thickfield oxide film 501. This often brings about a crystalline defect suchas stacking fault and the like in the silicon substrate 1.

In order to solve the above described difficulties, in place of theconventional LOCOS isolation method, a trench isolation technique isproposed which is described in "Deep Trench Isolated CMOS Devices" by R.D. Rung et al., International Electron Devices Meeting, 1982, TechnicalDigest, pp. 237. FIG. 3D is a partial plan view showing a designedisolation region 500 and an active region R on a silicon substrate. FIG.3E is a partial sectional view showing a trench isolation structure,taken along the line IIIE--IIIE in FIG. 3D.

First, referring to the figures, in the trench isolation method, atrench is formed in a portion of the silicon substrate 1 serving as theisolation region by applying anisotropic etching such as reactive ionetching, using a pattern of a thick oxide film formed on the siliconsubstrate 1 as a mask. Boron (B⁺) is implanted in the trench, using thepattern on the thick oxide film as a mask and a channel stopper region 4with high impurity concentration is formed in a portion of the siliconsubstrate 1 serving as the trench. A thin silicon oxide film is formedby applying thermal oxidation to the whole surface of the siliconsubstrate 1. An insulating material 502 such as silicon oxide isdeposited over the whole surface such that the insulating material mayfully fill in the trench, using the chemical vapor deposition method andthe like. Then, a photoresist is provided over the whole surface. Dryetching is made with the condition enabling an etching rate of thephotoresist and that of the insulating material 502 to be equal, untilthe surface of the insulating material 502 is on the same level with thesurface of the silicon substrate 1. As a result, the insulating material502 is embedded inside the trench and a region for isolation betweendevices is formed with trench structure. Then, after a gate electrode 9is formed through a gate oxide film on a portion serving as, forexample, the channel region of the MOS transistor, n type impuritydiffused regions 23a and 23b serving as the source region and the drainregion, respectively, of the MOS transistor are formed.

However, in the trench isolation, it is difficult to introduce animpurity to a vertical sidewall of the trench by an ion implantationmethod widely used in general. As a result, a leakage current is liableto flow along the sidewall of the trench. In addition, because of theconcentration of an electric field around the corner portion of thetrench, an effect of a parasitic MOS transistor is easily generated andtherefore, the leakage current is also liable to flow. In case that theconcentration of an electric field occurs in the corner portions of theedge of the channel region, a threshold voltage is also liable to bedecreased. Furthermore, stress occurs due to a difference between acoefficient of thermal expansion of the insulating material 502 filledin the trench and that of the silicon substrate 1. This often bringsabout a crystalline defect in the silicon substrate 1. Still anotherdisadvantage is that the process of forming the trench isolationcomprises complex steps as described above.

Because of the above described disadvantages, the trench isolationmethod needs many technological improvements and at the present, it isnot widely used in manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuitdevices.

Another means for solving problems of the bird's beak is proposed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,574,465, entitled "Differing Field Oxide Thickness inDynamic Memory Device", filed Apr. 13, 1982. FIGS. 4A to 4E are diagramsshowing a manufacturing method of the memory array portion and theperipheral circuit portion in the dynamic memory device shown therein. Asilicon oxide film 2 is formed on both the memory array portion and theperipheral circuit portion on a main surface of a semiconductorsubstrate 1, a silicon nitride film 3 is formed on a predeterminedposition thereon and by using this as a mask, inversion preventinglayers 4a and 4b are formed and film 5 for isolation between devicesadjacent 4a and 4b are formed to be thinner than the oxide film inthickness of the conventional peripheral circuit portion. Then, asilicon nitride film 24 is formed on the whole memory array portion, andonly the peripheral circuit portion is oxidized, whereby the thicknessof the film for isolation between devices of the peripheral circuitportion is formed to have a conventional thickness. As described above,the length of the bird's beak of the memory array portion is decreasedby making the oxide film for isolation between devices of the memoryarray portion of the dynamic type memory device thinner than the filmfor isolation between devices of the peripheral circuit portion.

There is no problem even if the thickness of the oxide film forisolation between devices made thinner in the memory array portionbecause an applied voltage at the memory array portion is lower than theapplied voltage at the peripheral circuit portion. As a result, thethickness of the oxide film for isolation between devices of the memoryarray portion can be formed to be thinner than the thickness of theoxide film for isolation between devices of the peripheral circuitportion as described above.

A semiconductor memory device using the conventional trench isolationmethod has a problem that process becomes complicated because a trenchis filled to be flattened. Furthermore, as the trench is formed on thesilicon substrate, distortion is generated in the silicon substrate andleakage is likely to occur on an upper portion of the trench cornerportion, which was also a problem.

In a method of changing the thickness of the conventional field oxidefilm, even if the thickness of the oxide film for isolation betweendevices was made thinner, the bird's beak would occur anyway, andbecause the inversion preventing layer is formed at both memory arrayportion and peripheral circuit portion simultaneously, the concentrationof the inversion preventing layer can not be changed at the memory arrayportion and the peripheral circuit portion, with the result that thethickness of the oxide film for isolation between devices formed thereoncan not be set arbitrarily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved isolationbetween devices on the integrated circuit and a manufacturing method ofa semiconductor device in which the thickness of an oxide film forisolation between devices can be set arbitrarily.

Another object of the present invention is to provide isolation betweendevices on the semiconductor integrated circuit wherein isolation oxideof different regions are different in thickness.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide isolationbetween devices on the semiconductor integrated circuit whereindifferent isolation oxide regions of the integrated circuit have adifferent impurity in concentration.

Further object of the present invention is to provide a method ofmanufacturing isolation oxides in semiconductor integrated circuitscontaining of memory region and peripheral region characteristic of theisolation oxide provided with different impurity concentration withinthe memory and peripheral regions.

The above-mentioned aim of the present invention can be attained byseparately forming the oxide film for isolation between devices of thememory array portion and that of the peripheral portion, respectively,or by removing the bird's beak generated at the memory portion after theoxide film for isolation between devices is formed throughout.

Briefly stated, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor memory devicein accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of formingthe region for isolation between devices of the peripheral circuitportion, and thereafter forming the region for isolation between devicesof the memory array portion.

Alternatively, forming the region for isolation between devices of theperipheral circuit portion and that of the memory array portionsimultaneously and thereafter removing the bird's beak generated at theregion for isolation between devices of the memory array portion.

Since the manufacturing method of a semiconductor device in accordancewith the present invention comprises the above-mentioned steps, thethickness of the oxide film for isolation between devices of the memoryarray portion can be set arbitrarily, and also a semiconductor memorydevice and the manufacturing method thereof in which the capacitor areaand the channel region of the memory array portion are enlarged can beprovided without lowering the capability for isolation between devicesof the peripheral circuit portion of the semiconductor memory.

In a preferred embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductordevice comprises the steps of forming the inversion preventing layer onthe peripheral circuit portion, forming the oxide film for isolationbetween devices adjacent thereto, forming the inversion preventing layerhaving the impurity concentration higher than that of the peripheralcircuit portion on the memory array portion and forming the oxide filmfor isolation between devices adjacent thereto at the same time that theoxide film is formed again on the peripheral circuit portion.

In a still preferred embodiment, a method of manufacturing asemiconductor device comprises the steps of forming the oxide film forisolation between devices on the semiconductor substrate and removingthe top surface portion of the memory array portion by etching.

Since the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises theabove-described steps, the memory array portion will not be affected bythe bird's beak generated at the time of forming the oxide film forisolation between devices because bird's beak is etched away.

These objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a chip of a dynamic type semiconductormemory device;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the whole structure of a dynamic typesemiconductor memory device;

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3E are views of a semiconductor memory device showingconventional locos and trench isolation methods;

FIGS. 4A to 4E are diagrams showing another conventional means forsolving problems of bird's beak;

FIGS. 5A to 5E are sectional views showing a manufacturing method of asemiconductor memory device in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the portion shown in FIG. 5E of thesemiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 7A to 7F are sectional views showing another embodiment of amanufacturing method of a semiconductor device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a graph showing a relation between the length of the bird'sbeak and the thickness of the insulating film for isolation betweendevices in the semiconductor memory device;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are graphs showing a relation between a threshold voltageof a parasitic transistor and the length of isolation of the region forisolation between devices when a back gate bias is (-3) V and 0 V,respectively; and

FIG. 11 is a graph showing a comparison between the narrow channeleffect of the isolation between devices in accordance with anotherembodiment and that of the isolation between devices in accordance withthe conventional manufacturing method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the present invention isdescribed. FIGS. 5A to 5E are diagrams showing step by step amanufacturing method of a semiconductor memory device in accordance withthe present invention, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of a semiconductormemory device showing one embodiment of the present invention, and thesectional view of the portion taken along the line A--A in FIG. 6corresponds to FIG. 5E. As shown in FIG. 5A, a silicon oxide film 2 anda silicon nitride film 3 are formed successively on a p-type siliconsubstrate 1, then only the silicon nitride film 3 on the peripheralcircuit portion is selectively etched, and boron for preventinginversion is implanted, with the result that a p⁺ diffused layer 4a isformed. The oxide film 5 for isolation between devices is formed only onthe peripheral circuit portion using the silicon nitride film 3 as anoxidation-resistant mask (FIG. 5B). Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, onlysilicon nitride film 3 of the memory array portion is selectively etchedand boron for preventing inversion is implanted, with the result that ap⁺ diffused layer 4b is formed. Since the inversion preventing layer andthe oxide film for isolation between devices are separately formed inthe peripheral circuit portion and the memory array portion,respectively, the concentrations of the p⁺ diffused layer 4a forpreventing inversion of the peripheral circuit portion and the p⁺diffused layer 4b for preventing inversion of the memory array portioncan be determined arbitrarily and it becomes possible to raise theconcentration of the p⁺ diffused layer 4b of the memory array portionand then to raise the capability for isolation between devices. Then,oxide films 5a and 5b for isolation between devices are formed againusing the silicon nitride film 3 as the oxidation-resistant mask (FIG.5D). At this time, since the oxide film 5b for isolation between devicesof the memory array portion is formed by one step of oxidation, itsbird's beak is shorter than that of the oxide film 5a for isolationbetween devices of the peripheral circuit portion formed by two steps ofoxidation. More specifically, an active region is enlarged. Then, a gateinsulating film 6 and a gate electrode 7 of the capacitor portion areselectively formed. After a gate electrode 9b of the transistor of thememory array portion and a gate oxide film 8 and a gate electrode 9a ofthe transistor of the peripheral circuit portion are formed, aninterlayer oxide film 10, a contact hole 11 and an aluminum wire 12serving as a bit line are formed (FIG. 5E). The process of formation ofthe device from FIGS. 5D to 5E is described in detail in anotherembodiment. Although a description was made as to the case in which thep-type silicon substrate is used, it is obvious that the same effect canbe brought about in the case in which an n-type silicon substrate isused.

Next, another embodiment is described. FIG. 7 is an sectional viewshowing another embodiment of a manufacturing method of a semiconductordevice in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, amemory array portion of a dynamic RAM and its peripheral circuit portionare formed on a p-type silicon semiconductor substrate 1.

In this method, the silicon oxide film 2 is formed on the semiconductorsubstrate 1 by thermal oxidation and the like and the silicon nitridefilm 3 is formed thereon by a CVD method. Then, a portion of the siliconnitride film 3 is selectively etched and boron is implanted from anetched opening 3a. As a result, the p⁺ diffused layer 4b for preventingthe inversion is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 under theopening 3a (FIG. 7A).

An oxide film is formed by the LOCOS method on the opening 3a using thesilicon nitride film 3 as the oxidation-resistant mask (FIG. 7B). Thisoxide film becomes the oxide film for isolation between devices. Theprocess heretofore is the same as the common LOCOS method. A bird's beakB is extended in the formed oxide film 5 for isolation between devices.An isolation length l_(B) between devices is longer than a patterninglength l_(O) of the silicon nitride film 3 formed by the process shownin FIG. 7A.

After the silicon nitride film 3 on the top layer is removed entirely byetching, a resist 15 is applied. The resist 15 existing on the uppersurface of the peripheral circuit portion only is left by patterning(the left portion of FIG. 7C). The silicon oxide film 2 on the wholesurface of the memory array portion and the upper surface portion of theoxide film 5 for isolation between devices are uniformly removed byetching. Then a thin film for isolation between devices shown as 5b inFIG. 7C is formed. Therefore, the film thickness of the oxide film 5bfor isolation between devices of the memory array portion is thinnerthan the film thickness of the insulating film 5a for isolation betweendevices remaining on the peripheral circuit portion. An tip portion ofthe bird's beak B is removed as the surface of the memory array portionis uniformly etched. As a result, the isolation length l_(B) betweendevices of the insulating film 5 for isolation between devices of theinitial stage (FIG. 7B) is shortened to the isolation length l betweendevices of the insulating film 5b for isolation between devices afteretching. An active region C on the memory array portion is enlarged.

Then, the resist 15 of the peripheral circuit portion is removed. In thememory array portion, a so-called Hi-C structure is formed on acapacitor portion D of the memory cell. For this purpose, boron andarsenic are selectively implanted on the region comprising theinsulating film 5b for isolation between devices. Then, as shown in FIG.7D, a p⁺ diffused layer 16 and an n⁺ diffused layer 17 are formed,respectively. The p⁺ diffused layer 16 is integrated with the p⁺diffused layer 4b having been formed on the memory array portion in FIG.7C. At this time, if the energy of boron implantation is set to be high,boron which is implanted from the upper surface of the oxide film 5b forisolation between devices which has been thinned after etching by theprocess in FIG. 7C is easily penetrate the oxide film 5b for isolationbetween devices and reaches the p⁺ diffused layer 4b. Thus, the impurityconcentration of the p⁺ diffused layer 4b for preventing the inversionunder the insulating film 5b for isolation between devices becomeshigher than the original concentration. As a result, the capability forisolation between devices of the insulating film 5b for isolationbetween devices which has been thinned is raised.

The gate insulating film 6 is formed further on the memory arrayportion. The capacitor portion D is formed on at least one portion abovethe region comprising the insulating film 5b for isolation betweendevices and its vicinity. The capacitor portion D comprises thecapacitor electrode 7.

As shown in FIG. 7E, the gate oxide film 8 is formed over the memoryarray portion and the peripheral circuit portion. Then, the gateelectrode 9b of the memory array portion and the gate electrode 9a ofthe peripheral circuit portion are formed. An n⁺ diffused layer 18 for asource and drain is formed by an ion implantation.

Next, an interlayer oxide film 10 is formed over the whole portion ofthe memory array portion and the peripheral circuit portion as shown inFIG. 7F. Etching is selectively performed on this film and a contacthole 11 is opened at a predetermined position. An aluminum wire 12 isthen formed.

A plan structure view of a semiconductor device provided by such processis the same as that in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the measurement in accordance with theexperiment of a relation between the bird's beak length and the filmthickness of the insulating film 5b for isolation between devices formedon the memory array portion by the above-mentioned process. The bird'sbeak length is defined as (lB-lO)/2 herein. Referring to FIG. 8, I andII denote that the film thickness t_(OX) of the oxide film 5b forisolation between devices of the initial stage before etching is 0.50 μmand 0.75 μm, respectively. As seen from FIG. 8, even if the thickness ofthe oxide films for isolation between devices left by etching is thesame, the bird's beak, the original film thickness t_(OX) of which isthicker becomes shorter. If the original film thickness t_(OX) is 0.75μm (II), the bird's beak length can be made approximately 0 where thefilm thickness after etching is 0.24 μm.

Referring to FIG. 8, the thinner the film thickness is made by etching,the less the bird's beak becomes. On the other hand, if the filmthickness becomes too thin, the capability for isolation between devicescould be degraded. In view of these facts, it is necessary to set alower limit of the film thickness. FIGS. 9 and 10 are graphs showing arelation between the threshold voltage and the isolation length of thetransistor for isolation between devices (the parasitic transistorgenerated in the vicinity of the insulating film for isolation betweendevices) as regards to each film thickness, where a back gate bias V_(B)is (-3)V and 0 V, respectively. Referring to FIG. 8, I, II and IIIdenote the cases that the film thickness t_(OX) is 0.13 μm, 0.20 μm and0.32 μm, respectively. As seen from FIG. 9, when the back gate biasV_(B) is (-3)V, the threshold voltage of either film thickness becomes12 V or more. As a result, enough isolation capability can be secured.On the other hand, if the back gate bias V_(B) is 0 V, the thresholdvoltage is about 6 V when the thickness of the insulating film forisolation between devices is 0.13 μm (which is the case of I in thefigure), as shown in FIG. 10. For the dynamic type memory applied inthis embodiment, the gate electrode 9a to which a voltage of powersupply voltage (5 V) or more is applied is connected onto the insulatingfilm 5a for isolation between devices in the peripheral circuit portionin FIG. 7F. On the other hand, a capacitor electrode 7 (so-called cellplate) to which only small voltage of 0 V to a half of the power supplyvoltage (2.5 V) is applied is connected onto the insulating film 5b forisolation between devices of the memory array portion. For thesereasons, an isolation-resistant voltage on the memory array portion of 5V or more is enough.

Therefore, in the memory array portion in which it is necessary toprovide large channel width and capacitor area as shown in theembodiment, the isolation length between devices is shortened byemploying the oxide film 5b for isolation between devices, the etchedfilm thickness of which is thin. In the peripheral circuit portion inwhich a high voltage is applied, the sufficient channel width isprovided and there is no problem such as the narrow channel effect, theoxide film 5a for isolation between devices is employed which has notbeen etched yet after formed by the LOCOS method. Therefore, thecapability for isolation between devices adapted to that section can beapplied to both the peripheral circuit portion and the memory arrayportion.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the difference between the narrow channeleffect of the transistor of the memory cell in which a manufacturingmethod of this embodiment is employed and that of the memory cell inwhich the conventional manufacturing method is employed. A solid linedenotes the memory cell in which this embodiment is employed and adotted line denotes the case in which the conventional memory cell isemployed. The comparison is shown between the channel length L=10 μm andL=1.5 μm. The channel width of the abscissa is the channel width whichis set on a mask used for forming the silicon nitride film 3 in FIG. 7A.As shown from this figure, in the embodiment, even if the channel widthset on the mask is small, the threshold voltage of the transistorcomprised in the memory cell is not increased so much. It is seen thatthe narrow channel effect is considerably restrained by the isolationbetween devices in accordance with the present invention. This isbecause the bird's beak can be made small in the embodiment, while thechannel width substantially became narrow by the effect of theabove-mentioned bird's beak in the conventional isolation betweendevices

Although the case in which the p-type silicon substrate is used as thesemiconductor substrate 1 is shown in the above-mentioned embodiment, ann-type silicon substrate is similarly applicable to the semiconductorsubstrate. The present invention is also applicable to the isolationbetween devices of a complementary transistor. The present invention isalso applicable not only to the dynamic type memory but also to asemiconductor device in general in which it is required to secure anenough active region. The bird's beak is typically generated in theLOCOS method. Therefore, the present invention is applicable whenanother method of forming the insulating film for isolation betweendevices is used, in which the insulating film becomes longer than adesired length.

As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, the oxidefilm for isolation between devices and the inversion preventing layer ofthe memory array portion and the peripheral circuit portion of thesemiconductor memory device are formed separately, or after they areformed simultaneously, the oxide film generated by the bird's beak isremoved by etching on the memory array portion. As a result, thethickness of the oxide film for isolation between devices of the memoryarray portion becomes thinner than that of the peripheral circuitportion, the region of the semiconductor device of the memory arrayportion is enlarged and the capacitor area and the channel region of thememory array portion becomes larger than the conventional one.Therefore, meritorious effects can be brought about that the amount of astorage electric charge becomes larger and a soft error does not easilyoccur. There is another effect that the reliability is increased becausethe same thickness as in the conventional device of the oxide film forisolation between devices is secured in the peripheral circuit portion,whereby the capability for isolation between devices is not lowered inthe peripheral circuit portion.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memorydevice having a plurality of active element devices on a main surface ofa semiconductor substrate of a predetermined impurity concentration of aselected conductivity type and having a first function region, theoperating voltage of which is relatively high and a second functionregion, the operating voltage of which is relatively low, comprising thesteps of:forming an oxide layer on said first and said second functionregions; forming a mask layer for forming the region for isolationbetween active element devices for isolating devices; removing said masklayer of the region for isolation between devices on said first functionregion, and forming a first inversion preventing layer having a firstselected impurity concentration on said region in which the mask layeris removed and on said main surface; forming a first oxide layer forisolation between active element devices adjacent an upper portion ofsaid first inversion preventing layer; removing said mask layer of theregion for isolation between active element devices on said secondfunction region, and, on said region in which the mask layer on saidsecond function region is removed and on said main surface, forming asecond inversion preventing layer having a second selected impurityconcentration different from said first selected impurity concentrationof said first inversion preventing layer; and forming a second oxidelayer for isolation between active element devices adjacent to an upperportion of said second inversion preventing layer by simultaneouslyoxidizing said first function region and said second function region,whereby the thickness of said first oxide layer for isolation betweenactive element devices is formed to be greater than the thickness ofsaid second oxide layer for isolation between active element devices. 2.A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device in accordancewith claim 1, wherein said first function region comprises a peripheralcircuit portion of a semiconductor memory device and said secondfunction region comprises a memory array portion of a semiconductormemory device.
 3. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memorydevice in accordance with claim 2, wherein said mask layer is a siliconnitride layer.
 4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memorydevice in accordance with claim 3, wherein said inversion preventinglayer is of the same conductivity type as said semiconductor substrateand has the impurity concentration higher than the predeterminedimpurity concentration of said semiconductor substrate.
 5. A method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 4,wherein the second impurity concentration of said second inversionpreventing layer is higher than the first impurity concentration of saidfirst inversion preventing layer.
 6. A method of manufacturing asemiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein thesecond impurity concentration of said second inversion preventing layeris higher than the first impurity concentration of said first inversionpreventing layer.